Prime Video Could Become First Streaming Home of Emmy Awards
The Television Academy's long-running rotation of the Emmy telecast among ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC ended with NBC's broadcast of the 78th ceremony. Sources confirm the academy is in negotiations with Amazon's Prime Video to host future Emmy telecasts, which would mark a historic shift away from broadcast television. The move would follow the Oscars' planned transition to YouTube in 2029, making the Emmys potentially the first major awards show to stream exclusively.
The Television Academy's rotation agreement with ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC concluded with NBC's broadcast of the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards. Negotiations are underway with Amazon's Prime Video to become the exclusive streaming home of the ceremony. Prime Video already carries the Academy of Country Music Awards and has live-event experience through NFL, NBA/WNBA, and NASCAR rights. The Oscars are slated to move to YouTube in 2029, meaning the Emmys could reach streaming first. The Grammy Awards will shift to ABC with Hulu and Disney+ simulcasts next year.
If the Emmys move to Prime Video, it could accelerate the broader shift of major awards ceremonies away from broadcast television. Viewers without streaming subscriptions may lose access to a cultural touchstone, while younger audiences already accustomed to streaming could engage more readily. The move may also influence advertising models and how networks value live awards programming, potentially reshaping the economics of televised entertainment events.